nail polish dent repair: how to?

bencwalker · #1 07-03-2009, 01:01 PM

A few months ago, I tossed my phone onto my bed. It bounced off the bed, bounced on the floor, and then landed on my CV Jazz (which, admitedly, I should not have set down on the floor). It left a relatively shallow dent the about a centimeter long and maybe two millimeters deep.

I've heard various bits about some sort of nail polish solution, but an internet search yielded little helpful information. Basically, how does one do this nailpolish fix? I'm not looking for people to tell me that dents add character to my bass or not to worry about it, as I'm fairly certain it can easily be repaired by this nailpolish method. So, can anyone help me out and tell me how to do it?

Thanks

Bassist4Life · #2 07-03-2009, 01:04 PM

where is the dent? body? neck?

bencwalker · #3 07-03-2009, 01:10 PM

Sorry,forgot to mention that-the dent is about three inches below the bridge.

draftsmann · #4 07-03-2009, 01:13 PM

I once bought a guitar from a dumbarse bimbo on eBay who thought that a layer of bubblewrap and a layer of brown paper would be adequate packaging...

It wasn't of course - it arrived with a chipped edge in the black finish. I was able to effect a reasonable (barely detectable) repair with black nail polish. Basically you have to fill the indentation s-l-o-w-l-y in multiple coats, letting each one go off, until the repair stands slightly proud. Then leave it to cure for a good long time (a week in my case). Then cut back and finish flush with fine abrasive paper, and polish with successively finer grades, exercising great patience and care.

I have tried the same approach with slightly less success using clear nail varnish on a clear finish. I have heard others have used superglue successfully in such cases.

If the instrument has any kind of value, I'd counsel treading very carefully, and most probably asking a repairer to fix it.

Good luck.

Adrian

bencwalker · #5 07-03-2009, 01:19 PM

Thank you for the help, draftsmann.

The finish bass is white, so I'll have to find a white nailpolish that matches the color of my bass, correct? And then just fill in the dent with the nail polish in multiple coats, letting each dry until it's filled in?

I apologize for all the questions, I'm very new to the world of bass modifications and repair and such.

draftsmann · #6 07-03-2009, 01:22 PM

Nail varnish isn't my specialist subject (

)- but I reckon that getting a colour match may be your biggest problem.

An alternative would be to check out the small pots of cellulose car touch up paint. Same drop-fill technique.

Adrian

bencwalker · #7 07-03-2009, 02:52 PM

Alright, well I'll head to the Walgreens soon and see if they've got any white nailpolish- in the meantime, anyone else feel free to provide their input and experiences.

bencwalker · #8 07-03-2009, 02:56 PM

Also, how much would a dent of the size I described in the first post cost to repair? Thanks

Auzzie-Phoenix · #9 07-03-2009, 09:56 PM

there's also testor's model paint... it's almost the same stuff you get with nail polish and the touchup paint, but you tend to have a wider variety of finish types and colors. I would be hesitant to do anything if it's a nitro finish, but poly finishes are fine to work with.

bencwalker · #10 07-04-2009, 10:47 AM

My bass is a Squier Classic Vibe Jazz bass, which I believe is a poly finish.

Before I take the plunge with this nailpolish thing though, how much does dent removal typically cost? The dent is maybe a millimeter or two deep and the length of a pencil eraser

zerverize · #11 07-30-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by draftsmann

I once bought a guitar from a dumbarse bimbo on eBay who thought that a layer of bubblewrap and a layer of brown paper would be adequate packaging...

It wasn't of course - it arrived with a chipped edge in the black finish. I was able to effect a reasonable (barely detectable) repair with black nail polish. Basically you have to fill the indentation s-l-o-w-l-y in multiple coats, letting each one go off, until the repair stands slightly proud. Then leave it to cure for a good long time (a week in my case). Then cut back and finish flush with fine abrasive paper, and polish with successively finer grades, exercising great patience and care.

I have tried the same approach with slightly less success using clear nail varnish on a clear finish. I have heard others have used superglue successfully in such cases.

If the instrument has any kind of value, I'd counsel treading very carefully, and most probably asking a repairer to fix it.

Good luck.

Adrian

I hear you!!
I just bought a bass from someone on Ebay that used a old blanket wraped around the gigbag with the bass inside with the straps on ...

I have like a ding of an inch wide and tons of scratches all over.
The bass was advertise as mint...

I am willing to try out the nail polish thing out also.

62bass · #12 07-31-2009, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bencwalker

My bass is a Squier Classic Vibe Jazz bass, which I believe is a poly finish.

Before I take the plunge with this nailpolish thing though, how much does dent removal typically cost? The dent is maybe a millimeter or two deep and the length of a pencil eraser

Draftsmans method is the usual method and it works. White nail polish might be tough to find. I don't know. I don't wear it. I've used the clear nail polish on natural finished basses and successfully filled dings on appliances using a mixture of a white crafts glue and talcum powder on them after they got scratched or chipped. The glue is called Weldbond. The product directions sheet that came with Weldbond told how to do it. Lots of work but it was successful on the white appliances and the marks almost disappeared.

If you have to go the Testor's paint route you might want to thicken it with talcum powder so it'll build up enough and be hard enough to last. A deep deposit of paint takes forever to dry and never gets really hard. And I'm pretty sure to get it up to the gloss of the body you'll have to clear coat it with a gloss lacquer before polishing it. Varnish is no good over white because it'll dry amber. So you'd need a nitro or acrylic lacquer such as Krylon for the clear coat.

I'd say that someone who is good at it would charge $100 or so. Check with someone who restores or refinishes pianos or furniture. While this may seem expensive take a look at what the supplies alone would cost you.